RELATED NEWS/ARCHIVE

That worried some board members who had questions about the assumptions in the plan, which includes a 26-mile route and trains running every 15 minutes. But it wasn't the choo-choos that bothered them, it was including a 1-cent sales tax increase and keeping existing property tax money, among other financial details.

That sales tax would require voters approval, and PSTA officials took pains to cast the report as a less than entrenched action plan to build rail. Still, board member fretted over its message to voters, including board member Donald Crane of St. Petersburg.

What would happen, Crane wondered, "if the media picks up on this..."

County Commissioner Ken Welch helped him out. He pointed out that a Times reporter was indeed in the audience, taking "copious notes." The report happened to be available in agenda documents online for days too.

Sign up for The Daily Buzz on Florida Politics

Get the top five stories from the Tampa Bay Times political team emailed to you Monday-Friday at 3 p.m.

About the blog

Bay Buzz is your source for Tampa Bay politics news and discussion. Tampa Bay Times writers offer the latest in Tampa Bay politics and government news from Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, Pasco County and Hernando County. Keep in mind: This is a public forum sponsored and maintained by the Tampa Bay Times. When you post comments here, what you say becomes public and could appear in the newspaper.